Cars these days come in all shapes and sizes. From hatchbacks to sedan's, SUVs to sports cars, automobile design is in a perpetual state of evolution. Along with aesthetic changes come improvements in efficiency and safety, and oftentimes, variations in size. When it comes to garages and parking spots, there has to be some level of coordination to make sure new vehicles will fit in old spaces. So, just how wide is the average car? We've done the research and have compiled the widths of twenty of the most popular sedans to calculate the average.
The average car's width is between 70", or 5'10", and 80", or 6'8". Most car widths will fall somewhere closer to the 70" range, but there are some notable exceptions in cars commonly found in the USA.
While the majority of car widths will fall somewhere in that range, there are many reasons you might need to know the exact width of a specific model. From planning garage space to driving comfort, small changes in width can have a significant impact. Read on for a detailed list of the widths of twenty of the most popular sedans in the USA. All widths are for the most recent version of each model. Are you wondering what is meant by the model of a car? Read our article all about car models and what they mean here.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a tried and true sedan, having been in production since 1982. Originally released as a compact, transitioning to mid-size in the 1990s, the Camry has been a staple of the American and international automobile market for decades.
Exterior width of the Toyota Camry
- XSE V6, L: 72.4"
- TRD: 73.1."
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord was first released in 1976 and has been a mainstay on the Amerian car market since then. The Accord name has been attached to many designs and models but is most widely known for the ever-popular four-door sedan.
Exterior width of the Honda Accord
- LX, Hybrid, Sport, EX, EX-L, & Touring: 73.3"
Honda Civic
Another Honda staple, the Civic was first released as a subcompact in 1972. Known for its fuel efficiency and reliability, the Civic has been highly lauded since its inception. Since then, it has gone through a series of design alterations until it's current mid-size iteration.
Exterior width of the Honda Civic
- LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, & Touring : 70.9"
Mazda 3
The Mazda3 was first released as a compact car in 2003, followed by a sedan version in 2009. The fourth-generation Mazda3 sedan was first released in 2019.
Exterior width of the Mazda3
- Mazda3: 70.7."
Mazda6
The Mazda6 replaced the Capella/626 model in 2002 and quickly became Mazda's fastest-selling model. Followed by a series of other numerical editions, the Mazda6 has remained a popular mid-size car since the initial release.
Exterior width of the Mazda6
- Mazda6: 72.4
Kia Optima
The Kia Optima was first released in 2000. Since then, it has been released under many different names internationally but has always retained the Optima nameplate in North America. As of 2018, Optima will be the nameplate used in all global markets.
Exterior width of the Kia Optima
- LX, S, Special Edition, EX, EX Premium, & SX : 73.2"
Kia Cadenza
The Kia Cadenza is a full-size sedan that replaced the preexisting Kia Opirus/Amanti in 2010. Classified as a luxury sedan, the Kia Cadenza is outfitted with many features missing in standard sedans.
Exterior width of the Kia Cadenza
- Cadenza: 73.6."
Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima is a mid-size car that has been manufactured by Nissan since 1992. Much like many other modern sedans, the Nissan Altima was first released as an update to an existing line of Nissan vehicles, in this case, the Nissan Bluebird.
Exterior width of the Nissan Altima
- S, SR, SL, V, & Platinum : 72.9"
Nissan Maxima
The Nissan Maxima is a full-size car first released in 1980 under Nissan's old name, Datsun. Much like the Nissan Altima, the Nissan Maxima is a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line.
Exterior width of the Nissan Maxima
- SV, SL, SR, Platinum, & Platinum Reserve : 73.2"
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is known as Subaru's flagship car. First coming into production in 1989, the Legacy is unique in its class for offering all-wheel drive as a standard feature.
Exterior width of the Subaru Legacy
- Legacy, Legacy Premium, Legacy Sport, Legacy Limited, & Legacy Limited XT: 72.4"
Ford Fusion
The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car with hybrid variants. This car first went into production in 2006 and has regularly featured in the top ten best-selling vehicles in the USA.
Exterior width of the Ford Fusion
- S, SE, SEL, Titanium, & Hybrid versions: 72.9."
Hyundai Sonata
The Hyundai Sonata is a mid-size car produced since 1985. The original Sonata was an update to an older Hyundai model, the Hyundai Stellar.
Exterior width of the Hyundai Sonata
- SE, SEL, & SEL Plus : 73.2
Volkswagon Passat
The Volkswagon Passat is a mid-size car, sometimes called a large family car, manufactured and marketed by Volkswagon since 1973. The Volkswagon Passat has been sold under several different nameplates throughout its production history.
Exterior width of the Volkswagon Passat
- S, SE, R-Line, SEL: 72.2"
Chevrolet Malibu
The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car manufactured in two distinct periods, first between the years 1964-1983, and then beginning again in 1997 through the present day.
Exterior width of the Chevrolet Malibu
- L, LS, LT, RS, & Premier: 73
Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a mid-size car marketed as a luxury or up-scale sedan and has been produced by Buick since 1973.
Exterior width of the Buick Regal
- FWD: Regal, Preferred, Essence, & Avenir: 73.3"
- AWD: Essence, GS: 73.3"
Genesis G70
The Genesis G70 is a compact executive sedan, and is the newest of all vehicles in our list, first being released in 2017. Genesis functions as the luxury vehicle division of Hyundai.
Exterior width of the Genesis G70
- 2.0T: Advanced, Elite, Sport Package: 72.8."
- 2.2D: Advanced, Elite: 72.8."
- 3.3T: Sport Elite, Sport Prestige: 72.8."
Alfa Romeo Giulia
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is the nameplate of three distinct vehicles released by Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo. The most recent iteration of the nameplate is a compact executive car first released in 2015.
Exterior width of the Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Giulia, Giulia Sport, Giulia Ti, & Giulia T Lusso: 73.7"
Mercedes Benz C-class
The Mercedes Benz C-class is a compact executive car produced by Daimler AG. This model was first released in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201) model.
Exterior width of the Mercedes Benz C-class
- C 300, C 300 4MATIC, AMG C 43, AMG C 63, & AMG C 63 S : 79.5"
Audi A6
The Audi A6 is an executive car first released in 1994. Since then, the Audi A6 has seen five generations of models. The Audi A6 is a continuation of the Audi 100 line of models.
Exterior width of the Audi A6
- Premium, Premium, Plus, & Prestige: 74.3"
Audi A8
The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury sedan that was first manufactured in 1994. Since its inception, the Audi A8 has seen four generations of models. The Audi A8 is the successor to the Audi V8.
Exterior width of the Audi A8
- Audi A8: 76.6
While there is some variance between makes and models of various cars, most modern vehicles of similar types have somewhat similar widths. The difference between different makes and models is often only a few inches, although there are a few outliers in this list. After reading this article, you're sure to have a better idea about how wide the average car is, and also be informed about the exact widths of many of the most popular sedans in the USA. If you're a new driver looking for more information about the various makes and models to choose from, you find all the information you need here in our guide on the best cars for new drivers.